"Ketamine Nasal Spray: A Promising Treatment for Treatment-Resistant Depression"

A large clinical trial has found that a ketamine-based nasal spray, known as esketamine, in combination with other antidepressants, is more effective in achieving sustained remission of symptoms in people with treatment-resistant depression compared to an antipsychotic drug. The study involved over 650 adults with treatment-resistant depression, and by week eight, 28% of patients on the nasal spray experienced remission, compared to 18% on the antipsychotic. The remission rate remained higher in the nasal spray group up to 32 weeks later, suggesting that ketamine-based therapies could be considered a front-line therapy for treatment-resistant depression. However, further research is needed to identify characteristics of individuals who would respond well to ketamine treatment.